Contesting 2013 general elections for the initially prescribed Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) parties in Bhutan is not going to be as smooth as they did in 2008. Following registration of two new parties Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) and Druk Mitsher Tshogpa (DMT), the country’s fifth party, Bhutan Kuen Ngyam Party has registered with the election commission to make other parties really brush up for taking actual agenda to the people during the election campaign. So with the fifth political party, vying to contest the election, Bhutan is going to make itself a multiparty democracy.
- Party spokesperson Sonam Tobgay with Bhutan Kuen-Ngyam logo (Courtesy : Kuensel)
Sonam Tobgay, the Party Spokesperson cleared out some specifications of the party manifesto to media claiming the party to consist of a group of ‘clean’ thinkers. “We want people who are motivated, committed and morally pure in the characters so that we can deliver the public service diligently,” said the Spokesperson.
“We are a group of committed people, willing to make personal sacrifices with convictions and motivations towards nation building,” he claimed.
Some priorities cited in the press release issued by the party are employment for youths, halving the salaries of political office bearers, review civil service emoluments, and improving living conditions of Bhutanese in general.
“We need the leader to be economically equipped to run the country and has technical background rather than having just diplomacy and charisma,” reads the press statement.
Media reports from inside have claimed that preparation for announcing the sixth party has been underway.
I think, Bhutan really need at least one more good political party or good competitors against the present Govt. If not, your democracy will go silly and selfish policy might prevail in.
Multi-party democracy does not mean you should have 15 political parties. Well, if you want you can but I do not think, that is going to benefit anybody especially the newer political arties.
And don’t you guys have a secular name; and easy name to your political parties. All these hard to pronounce, revivalist sounding Dzonglkha names ……… hard to join and hard to vote for. I bet you guys will not move forward despite your best intentions.
A political party which wants to compete the ruling party should produce an alternative policy that adresses the nations’s problems. None of the political parties have come up with a stated policy paper on the border problems with China, the east west highway project in southern Bhutan, the southern Bhutanesese problem, balanced developemnt etc. If you are thinking salaries and the nature of the person gojng to be your leader – don’t spend a penny at this elections.
china
Anonymous,
Regarding the party name, wat i feel is those names are perfect and secular. Bhutanese peoples are the one who is going to vote and not you. Bhutanese people knows the meaning of parties name given in Dzongkha. You mean to say we have to give party name in Nepali, so that you can understand???
Bhutan belongs to Bhutanese, if you love Nepali that much, why don’t get out Bhutan and get in your commy-messy country of Nepal. Nepal is for Nepali and Bhutan is for Bhutanese.